Resilient shock-absorbing device

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/074,487, filed by the applicant on Mar. 3, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a shock-absorbing device that can be applied to various fields.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional safety helmet 1 includes an outer protective layer 11, an inner protective layer 12, a hollow intermediate layer 13 formed between the inner and outer protective layers 12, 11, and a plurality of buffering strips 14 filled in the intermediate layer 13. The buffering strips 14 are generally made of foam or Styrofoam, and are fixed within the intermediate layer 13 through an adhesive. Air is then introduced into the intermediate layer 13, so that through the buffering strips 14 and the air in the intermediate layer 13, the safety helmet 1 can absorb shocks generated upon impact with external forces. However, when the safety helmet 1 is subjected to an excessive external impact, the buffering strips 14 offer minimal protection due to the fact that they are made of foam or Styrofoam. In addition, the air introduced into the intermediate layer 13 may leak therefrom. Thus, after the outer protective layer 11 receives an external impact, the impact force is easily transmitted to the inner protective layer 12 of the safety helmet 1, so that the user\'s head, particularly portions thereof that are in contact with the inner protective layer 12, is likely to be jarred or injured. Further, since the inner protective layer 12 is usually made of fabric material, when the user perspires, e.g., as a result of intense exercise, the user\'s sweat easily permeates into the buffering strips 14 through the inner protective layer 12, so that the safety helmet 1 produces a peculiar odor that is difficult to remove.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,962 discloses a shock-absorbing device having a plurality of deformable shock-absorbing upper and lower halves of hemispherical cup-shape which are formed by indenting an elastomeric sheet or plate via a molding process so that the upper and lower halves are interconnected. U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,062 discloses similar deformable shock-absorbing upper and lower halves which, however, are filled with shock-absorbing fillers. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,330,165 and 4,002,315 disclose a plurality of spaced-apart deformable longitudinal projections formed by molding an elastomeric sheet or plate so that the projections are interconnected.

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a resilient shock-absorbing device having a plurality of deformable resilient shock-absorbing longitudinal tube halves which are heat-sealed together. According to this invention, a resilient shock-absorbing device comprises an absorber body having top and bottom faces and including first and second absorber layers. The first absorber layer has the top face, and includes a plurality of longitudinal resilient first outer tube halves of substantially arc-shaped cross section juxtaposed in parallel and heat-sealed to each other, a plurality of first heat-seal seams, and a plurality of first foam members filled respectively in the first outer tube halves and each having a surface exposed from a respective one of the first outer tube halves. Each first outer tube half has two transversely opposed first longitudinal ends contacting directly and respectively adjacent first longitudinal ends of two adjacent first outer tube halves. Each first heat-seal seam extends longitudinally, and interconnects two adjacent first longitudinal ends that contact each other. The second absorber layer has the bottom face, and includes a plurality of longitudinal resilient second outer tube halves of substantially arc-shaped cross section juxtaposed in parallel and heat-sealed to each other, a plurality of second heat-seal seams, and a plurality of second foam members filled respectively in the second outer tube halves and each having a surface exposed from a respective one of the second outer tube halves. Each second outer tube half has two transversely opposed second longitudinal ends contacting directly and respectively adjacent second longitudinal ends of two adjacent second outer tube halves. Each second heat-seal seam extends longitudinally, and interconnects two adjacent second longitudinal ends that contact each other. Each of the first and second outer tube halves is made of a thermoplastic elastic material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional safety helmet, with a portion thereof removed for clarity\'s sake;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a safety helmet incorporating a resilient shock-absorbing device according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, with a portion of the safety helmet removed for clarity\'s sake;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a protective suit incorporating the resilient shock-absorbing device of the first preferred embodiment, with a portion of the protective suit removed for clarity\'s sake;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative form of the first preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a resilient shock-absorbing device according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

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